Arden Theatre Company Presents:
William Shakespeare’s
Directed by Alexander Burns
A Supplementary Study Guide March 2015
Table of Contents I. The Play and The Playwright
a. Characters...................................................... Page 4
b. Synopsis......................................................... Page 5
c. Who is Shakespeare?.................................... Page 9
II. Shakespeare: Then and Now
a. Source of Macbeth......................................... Page 11
b. Globe Theatre................................................. Page 13
c. Curse of Macbeth........................................... Page 15
d. Tracing the Curse........................................... Page 17
III. The Language and the Text
a. Language........................................................Page 20
b. Iambic Pentameter..........................................Page 21
c. Editing Shakespeare...................................... Page 24
IV. Our Vision
a. Interview: Director, Alexander Burns.............. Page 27
b. Meet the Cast................................................. Page 30
c. Design Team................................................... Page 32
V. For the Classroom
a. Discussion Questions..................................... Page 34
b. Activities..........................................................Page 35 2
Characters Macbeth (Thane of Glamis) Lady Macbeth (Macbeth’s Wife) King Duncan (King of Scotland) Malcolm and Donalbain (Duncan’s Sons) Siward (an English Gentleman) Young Siward (Siward’s Son) Banquo (Friend of Macbeth) Fleance (Banquo’s Son) Macduff (Nobleman, rival to Macbeth, Thane of Fife) Lady Macduff (Macduff’s Wife) Macduff’s Son Three Witches (The Weird Sisters) Hecate (Queen of the Witches) Ross (Macbeth’s Cousin) Angus and Lennox (Noblemen) Three Assassins A Doctor A Waiting Woman A Gentlewoman 4
Synopsis
Amid thunder and lightning, three witches gather and discuss when they will meet Macbeth. After a fierce battle, as the witches predicted, they see Banquo and Macbeth coming their way. Macbeth and Banquo discuss the battle and the weather when they stumble upon the witches (aka the Weird Sisters). Macbeth questions who they are. The witches then declare their joy at meeting Macbeth, calling him the Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and “king hereafter.” Banquo asks why the Weird Sisters ignore him, and they exclaim that Banquo “shalt get kings, though thou [Banquo] be none.” Macbeth, however, is still concerned and asks why they call him Thane of Cawdor and a soon-to-be king, as he is neither. Before the witches can answer, they vanish into the air. Ross, Macbeth’s cousin and a nobleman, arrives and declares that Macbeth has been awarded the title of Thane of Cawdor, because the former holder of the title committed treason. Macbeth E. Ashley Izard, Mary Tuomanen, and Aime Donna Kelly ponders the words of the witches Photo by Mark Garvin and wonders what this holds for his future. 5
King Duncan comes to congratulate Macbeth and tells him he intends to spend time at Macbeth’s castle. He also declares that his son, Malcolm, will be his heir to the throne. Macbeth sends word to Lady Macbeth about the witches and his new title. She is not as hesitant as Macbeth and is prepared to make her husband king at any cost. Once Macbeth arrives back at his castle, he tells Lady Macbeth that he is uncertain about what he should do. Lady Macbeth eventually convinces him to get Duncan’s guards so drunk that they pass out, then he can murder Duncan. This is not so easy for Macbeth, but he eventually overcomes these fears and kills Duncan. Lady Macbeth frames the guards by making sure the bloodied daggers lie in their hands. The next morning, Macduff, Thane of Fife, and Lennox, a nobleman, arrive and discover the body of Duncan. Macbeth kills the guards so they are unable to protest, and declares that he murdered the guards due to his anger over the murder of Duncan. Even though Macduff finds this strange, Malcolm and Donalbain (Duncan’s other son), flee for England and Ireland. This act makes them appear suspicious, which allows Macbeth to assume the throne as King of Scotland. Banquo, however, is not convinced, but he finds comfort in the words of the witches: his Ian Merill Peakes and Ben Dibble Photo by Mark Garvin heirs will one day inherit the throne. Macbeth begins to worry about Banquo, and his own demise according to the prophecy, so he hires assassins to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. 6
The assassins succeed in murdering Banquo, but Fleance escapes. Macbeth is upset that his plan failed and his future is still at risk, but he decides to hold a banquet that night where he is visited by Banquo’s ghost, which only he can see. Macbeth becomes hysterical, which terrifies the guests. Lady Macbeth manages to calm them as the ghost departs. The ghost returns and Macbeth becomes even more hysterical, and Lady Macbeth demands the guests leave. Desperate, Macbeth decides to visit the witches once again. Macbeth finds the witches and demands an explanation about his future. To complete this task, the witches summon three apparitions: an armored head, a bloody child, and a child with a crown and holding a tree. The first warns Macbeth to “beware Macduff,” the second states “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth,” and the third says, “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/ Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/ Shall come against him.” Judith Lightfoot Clark Photo by Mark Garvin
These prophecies comfort Macbeth because of their seeming impossibility. Macbeth then questions the validity of the prophecy regarding Banquo. When the witches confirm that Banquo’s heirs will still rule one day, Macbeth grows angry and the witches vanish just as Lennox enters. Lennox informs Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth orders Macduff’s castle taken and then sends assassins to kill Macduff’s wife and his son. Lady Macbeth becomes racked with guilt over what she has done and begins sleepwalking.
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During one of these fits, a gentlewoman and a doctor witness Lady Macbeth crying over the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, and Lady Macduff as she ferociously tries to wash imaginary bloodstains off of her hands. When she leaves, the gentlewoman and doctor are stunned by these revelations. In England, Macduff is informed that his family has been slain and resolves to avenge their deaths. Malcolm has managed to raise an army in England to challenge Macbeth, and Macduff joins him. The invasion has also gained the support of the Scottish Nobles because they fear the insanity of Macbeth. While on their way to Scotland, they take a break in Birnam Wood, and the soldiers are ordered to cut the branches down and to use them as camouflage, making the third prophecy come true. Pictured: Cast of Macbeth Photo by Mark Garvin The soldiers arrive in Scotland and a battle commences. Macduff and Macbeth face off and Macbeth declares that he cannot lose because no one of woman born can slay him. Macduff, however, reveals that he was “from his mother’s womb/untimely ripped.” All prophecies being fulfilled, Macbeth realizes that he is doomed, and Macduff kills him. Malcolm’s army has won, and they learn that Lady Macbeth, unable to cope with her guilt, has killed herself. In the end, Malcolm assumes his rightful throne. 8
Who is Shakespeare? William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, a town about 100 miles from London. He was the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. John was a jack-of-all trades who had many jobs, including moneylender and farmer, while Mary was the daughter of a landowner. Shakespeare was one of eight children, though three died while they were still children. Portrait of Shakespeare When he was eighteen he met by Martin Droeshout and married a woman Fun named Anne Hathaway. Seven months after Fact! they were married, in 1583, they had a Lord Chamberlain’s Men daughter named Susanna. Some people would later be renamed the believe that Anne’s pregnancy was the King’s Men, once James I declared reason they married so quickly.In 1585, the himself its patron. It is thought that couple had twins named Judith and Hamnet. James I is a decendent of Banquo, Hamnet died when he was eleven years old. thus proving the Witches By 1592, Shakespeare had begun prophecy about Banquo’s writing plays and was working as an actor in lineage. London while Anne stayed in Stratford-uponAvon. In 1594, he wrote and acted for The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, an acting troupe, and eventually became the company’s playwright and created the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare retired from writing in 1612, four years before his death. In 1616, Shakespeare passed away and left most of his estate to his daughter, Susanna, which caused a lot of controversy at the time, as his wife was still alive and received far less. In 1623, two of Shakespeare’s friends published many of his plays in a collection called the First Folio, including Macbeth.
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Source of Macbeth
A lot of people do not realize that Macbeth is based on true events. As with any form of entertainment based on true stories, though, some artistic liberties were taken on Shakespeare’s part. Many scholars believe that Shakespeare gained a lot of his inspiration from Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Holinshed’s Chronicles for short). It was written, revised, and published between 1577 and 1587 by people from all walks of life, such as Reginald Wolfe, a printer, and William Harrison, a clergyman. The case that Holinshed’s Chronicles inspired Macbeth is strengthened by the fact that many historians also believe that the Chronicles inspired Shakespeare’s history plays, like Henry IV. The Chronicles outline Macbeth and Banquo meeting prophetic beings (nymphs in this case), who make very similar prophecies as the three witches. Lady Macbeth pressures Macbeth to kill Duncan (whom Macbeth has grown weary of due to his ineptitude). Once the deed is done, Macbeth rules for a number of years (unlike the play). However, both endings match fairly well. Aside from the use of nymphs instead of witches (although witches are mentioned in other parts of the Chronicles), Shakespeare made up many of his own descriptions of his characters and may have combined stories from other historic figures. The historical existence of Banquo is also in question, some believe he was real and related to kings, others believe he was a mere product of Shakespeare’s “At length therefore, communicating his purposed imagination. To the right, is a quote from the Chronicles, which states that if intent with his trustie friends, amongst whome Banquo was the Banuqo did exist, he was likely an chiefest, upon confidence of their promised aid, he slue the King ...” accomplice in the slaying of Duncan. (Chronicles, 269).
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Some people also believe that the play was inspired by the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the year most scholars believe Shakespeare wrote Macbeth. The Gunpowder Plot was a conspiracy to assassinate King James I. Several conspirators gathered barrels upon barrels of gunpowder in the basement of Parliament over the course of several months. They then planned to detonate the barrels while King James I was giving a speech. James’s men intercepted a letter that warned some people to stay away from the parliament because it was going to take a “blow.” James believed this referred to gunpowder and had his men scour the building the day before his scheduled speech. His men found the barrels and the plot was foiled.
Crispen van de Passe, The Gunpowder Plot Conspirators (c.1606)
This had a huge effect on the populace. Everyone at the time would have known about this plot and recognized the parallels to the conspirators and James I. Many people referred to the conspirators as “witches.” Take a moment and think about Macbeth and the events of the play. Can you think of any moments or scenes that parallel the events of the Gunpowder Plot?
What are some other examples of real events that influence modern entertainment? 12
Globe Theatre Going to the theatre today is an aesthetically different experience than it would be in the 1600s. Most of Shakespeare’s
plays were performed at the Globe Theatre in London. Here’s a sketch of the theatre in its time, and a picture of the theatre today:
The theatre could hold about 3,000 people (compare that to the Arden’s F. Otto Haas theatre which can hold a little less than 400!), and there are three levels where people could view the show from. First, you have the pit, which is where the poorest people would stand and could get in for a mere penny. Then the richer people would sit in the balconies, usually on cushioned seats. The higher you sat, the more money you paid, even if the view was obscured. The stage is slightly raised above the pit, then there was a balcony above the stage, and the covering would usually be painted like the night sky. Since this was an open outdoor theatre, the plays would often be performed in the day time, so the mural above the stage helped people approximate nighttime in their minds. The Globe burned down in 1613, but was eventually rebuilt in the 1990’s and can be visited today. 13
A huge difference in live theatre today is how the audience interacts with action on the stage. Back in Shakespeare’s time, the pit would be rowdy, with people screaming, fighting, rushing the stage, and yelling (either suggestions or obscenities) at actors. Shows would be stopped based on audience reactions, or, if the audience enjoyed a particular actor, the actor would often milk moments or perform more pieces. Today, it is more courteous to pay attention to the action on stage and laugh, gasp, or cry, but to not yell at the actors or act in a way that could distract them. Now compare the Globe to our theatre the F. Otto Haas stage. As mentioned above, it holds far less. The Haas also uses risers rather than balconies. All of the tickets are the same price for the performance, no matter where you sit, and everyone has a seat. Our theatre can also be reconfigured into any shape including proscenium (all the audience facing the stage from one direction), thrust (the audience surrounds three sides of the stage), and in-the-round (the audience completely surrounds the stage). For Macbeth, our stage is in a proscenium with qualities of a very shallow thrust. Our stage is also completely indoors, so you do not have to worry about being rained upon!
Set Model by Brian Sidney Bembridge 14
Curse of Macbeth
Throughout the play, the three witches cast multiple spells for a
variety of effects. One of the most famous is the “bubble bubble toil and trouble” spell. While most people believe that Shakespeare made up these spells, some believe that they are real spells he took from various demonology books. This belief has led to the creation of the “Curse of The Scottish Play.” It is thought that if anyone uses the word “Macbeth,” unless used in the context of the play itself, then the person, production and/or theatre will be doomed. Some people believe this myth, but others believe the danger comes from less supernatural forces. The play generally has a large number of fight scenes and violence.
This opens up the opportunity for more Ian Merill Peakes physical accidents. The show is also Photo by Mark Garvin hugely popular which means a lot more theatres do it, so people are more likely to hear about accidents. Also, if people believe in the curse, they may be more prone towards noticing when something goes wrong. So how do people counteract this curse? Everyone has their own strategies in reversing the effect. The universal first step is for the person who said “Macbeth” to leave the room or building. The next step might be to spin around a few times, and/or the offender must recite a line from Shakespeare or a Shakespearean insult/swear. Some people may also be required to spit over their shoulder or be required to stay outside until invited in again. Whether this curse is real or not is up for debate. But do you really want to take the risk? 15
People often come up with replacement titles for “Macbeth”. Here is what the staff at the Arden like to use the most! “Mackers” is the most popular, followed closely by “The Scottish Play,” then by people who do not believe and just say “Macbeth,” and bringing up the rear are other phrases such as “Big Mac,” “MacBee,” “Big M,” and “MacBubba.”
8%
22
%
32 %
%
38 16
Tracing the curse 1606: First Production: a rumor spreads that the actor portraying Lady Macbeth suddenly died and Shakespeare performs the role. 1672: The actor portraying Macbeth uses a real dagger in Duncan’s murder scene, resulting in the actual death of the actor portraying Duncan. 1703: Play revived in London, the worst storm to ever hit the city soon follows.
Image from the entrance to a Broadway production of Macbeth, Starring Alan Cumming
1721: After a nobleman disrupts a performance, the actors confront him and force him to leave, he comes back with friends and burns the theatre down. 1849: While British actor William Charles Macready was performing the title role in Macbeth at Astor Place Opera House in New York, the Astor Place Riots broke out in protest of Macready. He was in a feud with famous American actor, Edwin Forrest, who was also playing Macbeth at another theater. These riots resulted in the deaths of twenty-three people and hundreds of injuries. 1865: Abraham Lincoln entertains guests aboard a boat with passages from the play, specifically the assasination of Duncan. Within a week, Lincoln was assasinated by John Wilkes Booth. 1934: An actor portraying Macbeth turned mute mid-production, his understudy then developed a fever so bad that he had to be hospitalized. 17
1936: After giving Orson Welles’ production of Macbeth (which incorporated a real witch doctor) a bad review, the critic died a few weeks later. 1937: Laurence Olivier was rehearsing the show when a weight nearly fell on him. Meanwhile, the actress portraying Lady Macduff and the director were in a car accident, and the owner of the theatre died during dress rehearsals.
Laurence Olivier as Macbeth (1937)
1942: A production suffered three deaths of cast members (two witches and Duncan). In addition, the costume and set designers committed suicide on the set.
1953: Charleton Heston, portraying Macbeth in a Bermuda production, somehow had his pants dipped in kerosene, which then ignited during a castle burning scene. 1988: The Broadway production allegedly went through three directors, five Macduffs, six cast changes, six stage managers, two set designers, two lighting designers, 26 bouts of flu, torn ligaments, and groin injuries. 2013: Kenneth Branagh, starring as Macbeth, injures another actor with a sword during the opening battle, sending him to the hospital.
Kenneth Branagh As Macbeth (2013)
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Language
You may notice that the language Shakespeare uses can be very hard to understand, but it was difficult for audiences in Shakespeare’s time too. No one actually spoke in verse back then, although they did have their own slang and idiosyncrasies. The audiences back then did not have television though, so their main form of entertainment was theatre. As a result, they grew used to listening to this text and understanding it, and you can too!
Think about the lyrics to your favorite song. Try speaking it, without singing (say it as if you were having a serious conversation with a friend). It sounds weird and probably difficult to understand, right? We understand the lyrics when they are sung because the tune and rhythms add to our understanding of the song. For outside audiences who are not used to it, it just takes a little bit of work and imagination. If you are reading Shakespeare, take it line by line and say it out loud. If you are watching it, use the scenery, costumes, and physical actions to enhance your understanding. Remember, though, Shakespeare knew that Aime Donna Kelly people did not speak the Photo by Mark Garvin way he wrote, he still wanted the audience to understand what was happening, so his style of writing contains hints about what the important words or phrases were. 20
Iambic Pentameter Shakespeare writes in verse, and the style of metrical line he uses is called “iambic pentameter”. This is one of the most common styles used in English poetry, and it describes the rhythm that is used within the line of poetry or verse. Each line of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets contains ten syllables, and each pair of syllables are known as the iambic feet (or iambs). In which the first is stressed and the second is unstressed Thus, “iambic” refers to the type of groups of syllables, and the “pentameter” refers to there being five iambic feet in each line. Iambic pentameter is thought to be based on the heart beat. Put your hand on your heart and feel it beating, now try vocalizing the beat. It probably goes something like this:
ba-BUM, ba-BUM, ba-BUM, ba-BUM, ba-BUM. That beat you are feeling is iambic pentameter! Iambic pentameter can be broken down into “stressed” and “unstressed” syllables. To denote unstressed (also known as weak stressed) syllables, use this symbol: .To denote stressed (or strong stressed), use this symbol: . Below is a line of text from Macbeth. Try breaking it down into stressed and unstressed syllables. First try speaking it, and think about which syllables have more stress on them. But
get | thee back | my soul | is too | much charged 21
Is this | a dag|ger which | I see | before me
Now you may notice that there is an extra syllable at the end of the line. That is okay! When you end a line with an extra syllable, and that syllable is weak stressed, then it is called a feminine ending. If the line ends on a strong stress, then it is known as a heavy feminine ending. The use of a feminine ending would often hint at a question or an uncertainty because the line drops off rather than having a definitive ending. Like everything, there are always exceptions to the rule, so as long as you keep the basic “ba-BUM” beat and have about ten syllables per line, then you are using iambic pentameter! Shakespeare mostly used iambic pentameter, but he would occasionally stray from that for dramatic effect. He would frequently use a slightly different style for his supernatural characters. They often speak using “trochees”, which is the opposite of iambic pentameter and usually has four feet:
BA-bum, BA-bum, BA-bum, BA-bum
Now, if iambs are very natural for a speaker, trochees are very unnatural, and without realizing it, audiences will almost automatically feel eerie just because of where the stress fell on a word. It’s almost like Shakespeare is doing the work for you!
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The language also influences how an actor delivers their lines. Shakespeare wrote his plays in this manner for a reason. There are very minimal stage directions and the directions he does include very rarely denote how a line should be delivered (i.e. “angrily” or “slowly”). If a stage direction is included within your copy of a Shakespeare play, it was likely originally a note from a director or stage manager, or an editor interpreting the rhythm of the language for you. Thus, the beat of the line is very important for an actor during the rehearsal process. The actor and director must determine how a character is feeling in any given moment based on the syllables used, where the stressed and unstressed beats fall, and whether the words are quick and to the point, or stretched out and languorous.
Did you know that the term “role” came from the fact that actors received a literal roll of paper with all of their lines, as well as their cue lines (lines before and after their own)? They received no other part of the play and would only have a few rehearsals together to get the play down. Shakespeare knew the difficulties that this could cause, which is why he used iambic pentameter. A lot of people assume it is difficult for actors to memorize Shakespeare, but many actors think it is much easier than modern text!
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Editing Shakespeare
Due to the perceived difficulty of the language,Shakespeare’s texts can often be a lot to take in and they allow for lots of interpretation. This is why Shakespeare plays are often edited. Lines or entire scenes are taken out because they are either deemed archaic, or specific to Shakespeare, or the director wants the play to provoke a specific theme. This editing can also make Shakespeare difficult to study. If there are so many interpretations and reprints of interpretations, then an entire idea of a play could be different from text to text or performance to performance. For example, on the next page are the same lines from two different editions of Macbeth. See if you can spot the differences. These may seem like a small differences, but this simple change in punctuation can completely change how an actor reads a line! In addition to differences between editions of the same play, directors will often edit a show based on their own inspirations for their production. For example, one day you could see Romeo and Juliet based in the period that it was written, the next it could be based in modern day West Philadelphia, and the next it could be in a German circus. In our production, the director made some edits based on the violence: rather than talking about the violence, he wants to actually see it on stage. Can you point out some scenes in our production, where you notice this? That is the gift and curse of Shakespeare; it is timeless and audiences can always relate to it, but there are endless ways to interpret what you see.
Now, try turning to a random page of your favorite Shakespeare play. Try adding or subtracting punctuation. How does the text change? Is it still understandable? 24
From The New Cambridge Shakespeare Edition. Edited By: A.R. Braunmuller
From A Norton Critical Edition Edited By: Robert S. Miola
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Our Vision
Interview with the Director
Bryant Edwards: First, tell me a little about yourself
Alexander Burns: I was born in Philadelphia, my mother was a costume designer at People’s Light & Theatre Company, so I grew up backstage and felt like a child of the theatre. As a kid, I would come to see the Arden productions and watched Terry Nolen, Aaron Posner and Amy Murphy build the Arden. It was always a place that I hoped to someday work. I went to Germantown Friends School here, then I went to Northwestern University and studied with Frank Galati and Mary Zimmerman. I really wanted to be a director already at that point. It was in Chicago, that I met Michael Bogdanov who founded the English Shakespeare Company. He taught me about the language of Shakespeare, I was mindblown because I never really thought about the power of language, and of language as a tool. The more I worked on Shakespeare, the more I found myself falling more and more in love with it. I like epic tales that are not based in naturalism and are created through poetry. I was always more interested in stories of kings and queens and the falls of kingdoms and the challenging of ideology and all of those big human questions that Shakespeare’s drama is built upon. BE: Speaking of the language of Shakespeare, it tends to be very challenging and almost scary to a lot of people. How do you tackle it with your actors? AB: The meter in Macbeth is very powerful. The verse has a rhythm that drives the play. This play is already a roller coaster ride to hell and back, and the fact that you have this heartbeat, this drum, underneath the language pushing it forward, only helps to excel the dramatic experience. When the ensemble collectively feels that beat, it creates cohesion between the actors, their characters and spirit of the play. A contemporary audience may have trouble with a small percentage of the lexicon that has changed meaning or with words that we no longer use. Shakespeare was writing his plays when English was still a hotbed of linguistic influences. Like all great poetry, the language is heightened and multifaceted. The feeling and understanding comes from the sounds and structures of sound as much it does from the analytical sense of the words. Give yourself over to 27
Shakespeare, trust him and don’t feel like you have to understand every single word. No playwright understood the rhetorical power or dramatic scope of language better than Shakespeare. When an actor is empowered to exist through Shakespeare’s words, there is no better theatre. BE: Time for a big question: What’s your general vision for this production? What’s the story of Macbeth to you? AB: The story of Macbeth is rooted firmly in the Medieval. There are three forces in conflict in Macbeth: The first is the supernatural, which is represented by the Weird Sisters and by fate (the idea of some predetermined destiny established by a higher power). The second is nature, or natural forces; the skies, the birds, the weather. And the third is human: free will, ambition and love. Those three powers are all either in sync or at war over the course of the play. The play asks us to consider which power is greatest and if any of them can control the others. In imagining the ideal theatrical space in which these three forces could do battle, we arrived rather organically at the sacred stone circles of Europe. Most people think of Stonehenge, but in Scotland, there are a series of sacred spaces created by circles of monolithic stones. I’ve always been fascinated by these stones-how did they get there? They are clearly man-made, so big, yet erected so early in the history of mankind, that we have no idea of the technology or mechanism through which they were transported or installed. When you walk into the theatre, you will be transported to an ancient and sacred space that was created by epic forces. And, like in Stonehenge, these monoliths are askewed, time has taken its toll. There’s always the danger that these giant stones will come crashing down. And because we are doing it on the huge Haas stage, the intended effect is that the men and women on stage seem as though they deserve to walk among these epic stones, but that the columns might crash on top of them at any moment. Ultimately, to me, Shakespeare works best when it is not in a naturalistic place and the words remain at the center of the play. BE: This is another big question. Why do you think people should see Shakespeare? AB: What is the most concise way to answer that (laughs). I think the words of Shakespeare should be a daily part of people’s lives. I keep coming back to it time and time again. The way I experience life is richer because of Shakespeare’s poetry. Many times I’ve been in love or in pain or angry, and 28
thought this is my Romeo moment, my Juliet moment, my Cassio moment. These characters are friends and their words have given me insight, inspiration and solace at my greatest moments of triumph and despair. And again, the poetry, thanks to the verse, is a sort of spell of sorts that engages the mind, the heart, the imagination, and the soul. What else in the history of mankind is like it? Shakespeare is something I feel very lucky to get to work on, and to keep igniting and exploding it in people’s faces (laughs), because I think that we as a people are much better for it. BE: Great! Any final thoughts? AB: Part of the reason I really wanted to do this show, was for Ian Merrill Peakes who is one of Philadelphia’s best and a leading actor at the Arden. He is an extraordinary Shakespearean actor. When you do one of these plays, you need a great actor in a titular role. Part of what I think is going to be most exciting about this production is seeing Ian do Macbeth in Philadelphia, for this audience that knows him. To me that’s huge! Thanks Alex!
Director Alex Burns
Alex Burns (left) working on a show Photo by Bas Slabbers
Question for Discussion Put yourself in a director’s shoes. How would you direct this show? Do you agree with Alex’s thoughts on Shakespeare? Why or Why not? 29
Meet the Cast
Ian Merril Peakes* (Macbeth)
Christopher Patrick Mullen* (Duncan/ Old Siward/ Hecate/ Porter)
Ben Dibble* (Banquo/ Doctor)
Sean Bradley (Donalbain/ Seyton/ Murderer 2)
Judith Lightfoot Clark* (Lady Macbeth)
Josh Carpenter* (Malcolm/ Murderer 1)
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Terence Macsweeny* (Macduff)
Aime Donna Kelly* (Lady Macduff/ Witch 1)
Carl Clemons-Hopkins* (Ross)
Mary Tuomanen* (Young Siward/ Witch 2)
E. Ashley Izard (Witch 3/ Gentlewoman)
Yannick Haynes (Macduff’s Son/Fleance)
Jahzeer Terrell (Lennox)
Ian Bedford* (Angus/ Murderer 3)
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the U.S.
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The Design Team Director:
Alexander Burns
Stage Manager:
Alec Ferrell*
Set Designer:
Brian Sidney Bembridge
Lighting Designer:
Solomon Weisbard
Costume Designer:
Rosemarie McKelvey
Sound Designer: Fight Choreographer:
James Sugg Paul Dennhardt
Ian Merrill Peakes and Judith Lightfoot Clark Photo by Mark Garvin
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For the Classroom
Discussion Questions 1. A theme in Macbeth is “Predestination,” which is the idea that our fate cannot change, and that our life’s plan has been laid out already. Macbeth might cause the witches prophesy to come true by trying to prevent it. Discuss a time when you felt you could not control a situation. Looking back, do you think you could have changed something? Would this have changed the outcome? Or was it inevitable? 2. Aside from the witches, the only other female main characters are Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff. Would you say these characters are foils (opposite archetypes used to illuminate the qualites of each other) to one another? Why or why not? Or do they serve a greater purpose? Do you think Lady Macbeth is to blame for the death of Lady Macduff? Finally, what similarities and differences do they have to one another? 3. Other major themes within Macbeth are gender, power, masculinity, and how the three are related. Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth’s masculinity when he is unsure about killing the King. Who would you say holds more power, Lady Macbeth or Macbeth? Who is the most powerful character(s) in the play? Why? Does this change the course of the play? 4. Give an example where Shakespeare uses Trochees. Why do you think these lines are Trochees? 5. In this production of Macbeth, the costumes vary from Medieval period pieces to contemporary dress. Why do you think the design team and director made the costume choices that they did? 6. Discuss the natural world present within the play. How does the tone shift between the dreaming/sleeping world, and the real world? Light vs. dark? Is this represented in the staging of the show? How would you stage this? 7. How is the degeneration (both physical and mental) of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth noted throughout the play? How does the Arden production reflect these changes? 3
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Activity 1 Part 1: Shakespeare was originally written to be performed, and once you either perform it, or see it performed, you could gain a whole new understanding of the play! Get into groups of 2-3 and prepare a scene to present to the class. First, translate the text into something more contemporary to give yourself a clearer understanding of the text. Be creative! Now prepare the scene, stage it however you want (remember men can play women and vice versa), but for now, perform ALL the lines with no cuts, and remember to have fun! Some examples are listed below: Two men: Macbeth and Macduff (Act V Scene VIII, Lines 4-39)
One Man, One Woman: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth (Act II Scene II lines 12-43) One Man, Two Women: Doctor, Gentlewoman, Lady Macbeth (Act V Scene I, Lines 16-46)
Three Men: Lennox, Macduff, Macbeth (Act II Scene III,Lines 40-86)
Three Any Gender: Murderers 1, 2, 3 and Voice of Banquo (Act III Scene III, All Lines)
Three Women: Three Witches (Act IV Scene I, Lines 1-38)
Part 2: Now that you have performed, it is time to edit! Take a couple of minutes to cut lines from your scene. How much can you cut while still getting the main idea across? What if you change the location and/or the time? 35
Activity 2 Who would be a better ruler: Macbeth or Malcolm? Take some time and do a bit of research about the social climate during the period in which Macbeth ruled. What are the political implications of Malcolm overthrowing the ruling king? What do you think would have happened if Macbeth had not been killed and only dethroned? Next, look into the economics, quality of life, class system, educational opportunities and other factors that could contribute to the societal approval of a ruler from 11th century Scotland.
Now split into two teams: Team Malcolm and Team Macbeth. The over arching question: Who would make a better ruler? Here’s the debate structure: • Opening statement: Team Malcolm, then Team Macbeth (3 Minutes) • Team Malcolm proposes their argument, supporting Malcolm (5 Minutes) • Team Macbeth rebutes (3 minutes) • Team Malcolm defends (3 minutes) • Team Macbeth proposes their argument, supporting Macbeth (5 Minutes) • Team Malcolm rebutes (3 Minutes) • Team Macbeth defends (3 minutes) • Closing statements: Team Malcolm, then Team Macbeth (3 minutes)
Take some time now to discuss the points that each team made. What worked? What didn’t work? Did your opinions change at all? Why or why not? 36